


Nowhere Else

by Writerwithagoal



Series: A Quiet Future Series [2]
Category: The Magicians (TV), The Magicians - Lev Grossman
Genre: Cozy, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Grief, Long-Term Relationship(s), M/M, Unresolved Issues, communicating, dealing with loss triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-14 18:38:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18482059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writerwithagoal/pseuds/Writerwithagoal
Summary: After moving into their first shared apartment. Fen and her husband bring their son whose three. Memories resurface and Q bolts. Eliot finds him hours later hiding in his shop. Communication solves issues.





	Nowhere Else

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my dearest friend for not knowing the characters but giving me an amazing prompt any way.

Quentin was stressed he had five projects to get done for clients and honestly having everyone buzzing around the apartment getting ready for their housewarming party hadn’t been super conducive to that need. When Fen and Tomas’ son had broken a plate for the third time just to see Uncle Q fix it, he’d lost it a little. Grabbing his stuff he’d apologized, kissed El’s forehead and left the apartment. 

“Hey Q, you in here?” El’s voice broke through his concentration just as the old book finally finished mending itself. Quentin leaned back so he could see the front entrance of his shop.

“Why aren’t you playing the gracious host?” Q asked, checking his watch and cursing. He’d been working with this single book binding for almost eight hours. “Shit I’m late aren’t I?”

“I sent everyone home after an hour and you weren’t home or answering your cell,” Eliot admitted, walking over to his flustered boyfriend. 

“I thought if I got the easy projects done first, I could handle the party at least not cause you to cancel,” Quentin groaned, covering his face with his elbow and leaning further back in his chair. 

“Did the easy project work out?” Eliot asked, looking at the four other project boxes looking unopened nor touched. 

“I just finished it. If you’d ruined the work I’ve apparently spent the day doing by interrupting me I might have thrown it at you..” Quentin trailed off feeling horrible. Eliot had put so much time into this party and all he’d asked of his people shy partner is that he attend. 

“Wow, so the book really is that stubborn,” Eliot laughed, rubbing Q’s shoulders and leaning down to place a kiss to his stressed boyfriends forehead. “That being said, you’ve been on edge since I mentioned Fen and Tomas were bring Caleb.”

“Yea cause it’s a housewarming party and no one else has children. I just don’t understand bringing your toddler to a party with only adults,” Quentin shrugged, avoiding Eliot’s eyes as he placed the finished book in it’s protective box. 

Standing he walked over to the bar cart that Margo had gifted him with when he opened his shop on 79th and Park Ave: Coldwater Mendings and Rare Books. Pouring a glass of wine for Eliot and himself, he handed out the glasses. 

“Are you sure that’s the reason?” Eliot asked, taking the offered glass and sitting on Quentin’s workshop table. 

“What else could be the reason El?” Quentin shot back feeling defensive. 

“Teddy.”

“We promised that we wouldn’t let that time line guide us, why would you bring him up Eliot?”  
“Because my darling Q, he was your-our son. You loved him. Now we’re faced with someone’s little boy who’s just as excitable and energetic as Teddy was at that time, and we have nothing to show of our own little one.”

“Wow. You’ve actually given this some thought haven’t you El,” Quentin said, after a beat walking into his boyfriend’s arms. His wine glass forgotten on the cart.

“Well yea, we’ve been together _ almost  _ a year and we live together, and the moment that Fen sent a bunny saying Tomas and Caleb were coming, you started acting all tense and snippy,” Eliot admitted, wrapping his arms around Quentins body. Tucking Q’s head under his chin. 

“Would it be awful if you were right?” 

“That seeing a child not your own made it hard to be in our apartment? Absolutely. What kind of monster am I dating. Q have you told your therapist about these feelings?”

“What no!” He pulled back looking at Eliot worry in his eyes. When he was met with sparkling humor filled brown eyes. 

“Hmmm why not?”

“Because they’re stupid, and Caleb is lovely. I just-” he shook his head hiding his face against Eliot’s neck. 

“You miss him. You want to hold our son and proudly show him to Margo and Julia. To see if his discipline is a combination of Arielle’s and yours or something completely different...” Eliot said softly holding his boyfriend tight in his arms. As he spoke he felt and heard the quiet noises of Quentin starting to cry. 

Quentin was honest, and he’d meant it when he said that he wanted this relationship to progress naturally out of the shadow of their other life. Yet, Caleb had ignited an old hole in his heart. One that he’d thought he had moved on from...healed from. Surrendering himself to Eliot’s hug he let himself break down. 

Eliot was crying himself. For all his bluster and imagined lack of fatherhood, Theodore Coldwater-Waugh had been every bit his son. As the tears tracked down his cheeks dripping into Quintin’s hair he just kept rubbing Quentin’s back and whispering how proud both Quentin’s dad and their son would be of them. 

“You shouldn’t have to hold his candle all alone,” Eliot murmured, pulling way to cup Quentin’s face in his hands. “He was our son. Let’s hold his candle together.” 

“Oh gods, I’m such a dick. You’re right, I should have talked about it with you. Let you know how I felt. I’m sorry I missed our party.”

“Honestly I wasn’t feeling like a host so I had Margo lead them all to Elysium and just came to find you,” Eliot admitted. Kissing Quentin slowly after wiping the tears from his cheeks. Q’s lips were damp from his sobs. 

“Can we go up to the roof and just watch the city?” Quentin asked, after he pulled himself from the bliss that was kissing Eliot.

“Here or at the apartment?” 

“Well the apartment has all the food.”

“Good point. Let’s go.”

Eliot grabbed Q’s coat and hat as they walked towards the door of the shop. Stepping out first so Q could set the alarm system and the wards behind them. Hand in hand they walked up Park Avenue towards their apartment on . Quentin leaning into Eliot as they bobbed and weaved through the crowds on the chilly April night in NYC toward 82nd street. 

As they grabbed platters and then took the secret elevator up to the rooftop terrace they had conned their magician super into giving them access to. Also having Julia flex her godhood for the good of their relationship and her friendship with Q. Leaning back on a bench looking out at the bustling city around them Eliot turned to Quentin and smiled. 

“If I’m entirely honest this was so much better than any party.”

“Oh really?”

“Yea, you’re the only one I wanted to be with tonight.”

“Have I told you that you’re so flamboyantly flowery?”

“Yes you’ve mentioned it.”

“I love you Eliot.”

“I love you too Q.”

**Author's Note:**

> childoftimeandmagic on tumblr. Kudos, comments, likes and reblogs with tags give me such pleasure.


End file.
